Undergarment



2 Sheets-Sheet l S. L. BERGER UNDERGARMENT Filed Nov. 2, 1937 May 10, 1938.

elL. 9767;

. I E 5 x 8. L. BERGER UNDERGARMENT May l@, 1938.

2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov Mum? Patented May 10, 1938 PATENT OFFICE UNDERGARMENT Samuel L. Berger, Newton Center, Mass, assignor to Boston Knitting Mills, Inc., Newton, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 2, 1937, Serial No. 172,436

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to boys and men's underwear and has for one of its objects to provide a construction for such undergarments that imparts to the garment a mild effective support to maintain the parts of the wearer in normal position; the garment also being so constructed that it is comfortable to the wearer at all times, protects or covers the wearers thighs and the garment fits snugly and comfortably and is devoid of all bagginess.

The present invention may be embodied in the i pe of garmentcommonly known as shorts and also be embodied in union suits. In both cases the garment is so constructed that it will fit snu ly and comfortably around the seat and thighs of the wearer and while it provides the desired mild support for the wearers parts, and does not out into the wearers crotch, it nevertheless is devoid of bagginess and presents an attractive athletic appearance, whether on display on the store counter or when worn.'

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art from an examination of the specification and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a nether garment embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a front view of a union suit embodying the invention;

Fig. 4 is a rear view thereof;

5 is a modification of the suit shown in While the present invention may be incorporated in garments of the type described and made of any desired material, in the preferred embodi ment shown herein the garments are made of tubular knitted material having considerable stretch transversely of the garment, such as ribbed knitted material.

Referring first to the nether garment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that this garment comprises two side panels il, a front panel i2,

a back panel i3, and the waist band It. The panels ill, I I, I2, and 03 are cut from ribbed knitted material, the direction of the wales being indicated thereon, and the band I4 is made of elastic material.

The front panel i2 is substantially longer than the back panel l3, so that the end portion i5 is disposed in the crotch and forms thecrotch strap so that the seam l8 connecting the front and back panels is disposed at the bottom of the seat portion of the garment and somewhat above the lowest point of the crotch .strap. The back panel I3 has an upwardly curved upper edge M. This feature of construction together 'with a small amount of sh-irring, if de- 5 d sired, at the seam joining this edge ii to the waist band It, supplies some of the necessary fullness to the garment to accommodate the thighs and seat of the wearer, and still permitting the crotch strap it to be disposed in such a manner as to 10 serve as a gentle support for the wearer's parts.

The front and back panels are cut so that the wales run longitudinally, and each tapers downwardly, as shown. It will be understood that the degree of taper may vary, provided, however, that w the front panel has the crotch strap of substantial and suitable width to act as a support.

The side panels ii are cut on a'folded edge at, the remaining edges being so disposed that when the garment is assembled it'furesents an attracm tive athletic appearance, and is devoid of all creases or bagginess whether on display or on the wearers body. For this purpose the edge it is so disposed as to provide extra width in the lower portion of the garment and to give the gar- 2g.

ment an upward taper. The short line it which forms the inside of the leg 2% is preferably not parallel to the outer edge it but diverges upwardly from it. The bottom edge 26 is approximately perpendicular to the edge 2% so that it so inclines upwardly.

The front panel it is cut along a central line, as shown, which extends from the top to a point a little more than half way down the length of the panel. Before the panels are assembled to form the garment, strips of suitable woven material are attached to the edges of the slit to properly finish oil the opening 2l,.-which is closed at both ends and is devoid of any fastening devices.

The placket and opening 2| completed, the front and back panels are stitched together to form the seam It. The side panels are then attached to these successively. One panel H is first sewed to the front i2 by the seam 23 which ends at the crotch or at the upper inner'corner of the leg. Seam 26 starts from the top edge of the back panel and extends to the end of the leg portion 20. The waist band It is then sewed to the top with some shirring, if desired, and the legs 20 are hemmed.

It will now be understood that the garment when complete lies flat without any creases, the garment being shaped so that it has an upward taper, with the legs slanting upwardly and outwardly. When, however. this garment is worn, the

legs are substantially straight across the thighs and the crotch portion l5 gives the desired gentle supporting efl'ect to the wearer. The material required for supplying the fullness necessary for the seat and thighs of the wearer is derived laterally from the greater width of the lower portion of the garment and is derived vertically from the curved upper edge of the back panel.

The width'of the garment taken on the line of the seam I6 is sixty or seventy per cent greater than the width at the waistband, and this feature together with the curved upper edge of the back render the garment comfortable, attractive, an devoid of any bagginess at all times.

The manner in which the present invention is employed in a union suit is apparent from Figures 3, 4, and 5.

The nether part of the-garment is made substantially like the garment shown in Figures 1 and 2, and as described. It consists of the same front, back, and side panels and these are associated together in the same manner as shown and described hereinabove. The elastic waist band, however, is not employed, and in lieu thereof an elastic strip 30 is attached to the top of the back panel and a yoke 3| of knitted material is attached across the top of the front of the nether garment after the same is attached to the top or shirt part 32 of the garment. The yoke 3| may be of the same material as the remainder of the garment and is disposed with the wales running longitudinally of the yoke or transversely of the garment as shown.

The shirt part of the garment 32 is generally cut from tubular knitt'ed material and has an elastic neck opening 33 and elastic shoulders. The elasticity of the neck and shoulders is obtained by the insertion of pieces 34 in the shoulder straps, these being of the same rib knitted material as the remainder of the garment, but disposed in the shoulder with the wales running transversely of the strap, thereby imparting to the strap a lengthwise elasticity.

The shape and form of the garment and its opening is preserved by employing binding 35 of resilient elastic fabric, such as fabrics made of rubber covered yarn, around the neck and arm openings.

In a winter garment as shown in Figure 5, the sleeves 40 have integral shoulder portions 4| which border the neck opening, and the wales of this portion also run perpendicularly of the neck opening. The neck binding 42 here is also made of elastic yarn like binding 35.

The elastic or stretchable shoulder portion of these garments cooperates with the construction of the nether part of the garment so as to prevent binding at the crotch and to preserve the mild supporting quality of the garment.

In the manufacture of the garments shown herein the shirring is maintained at a'minimum and, if desiredpall shirring may be eliminated; for the necessary fullness in the seat flows from the shape of the garment and from the shape of the panels. Thus, the upward taper provides material for the seat and thighs in the lower portion of the material; the upward curve of the back panel minimizes the tendency of such garments to draw and cut in the crotch. These features also cooperate to impart to the supporter portion 15 a gentle supporting effect, the portion l5 being from three to four inches in 'width.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An undergarment of the class described made of elastic material, the garment being stretchable circumferentially and comprising a front panel tapering downwardly and having an end portion extending upwardly on the seat portion of the garment and of suitable width at the crotch to serve as a supporter, a back panel ta-.

pering downwardly and having its lower edge seamed to the end of the supporter portion, and a pair of side panels each having a body portion and an integral tubular leg, said body portions tapering upwardly and having the side edges thereof secured to the side edges of the front and back panels, the inner sides of said legs extending downwardly from the crotch.

2. An undergarment of the class described made of elastic material, the garment being stretchable circumferentially and comprising a front panel, a back panel and a pair of side panels; said front and back panels each tapering downwardly and one of said panels having an end portion passing through the crotch and seamed to the other above the crotch and of suitable width at the crotch to serve as a supporter; said side panels each having a body portion and an integral tubular leg, said body portions tapering upwardly and having the side edges thereof secured to the side edges of the front and back panels, the inner sides of said legs extending downwardly from said crotch.

SAMUEL L. BERGER. 

